Finish Strong
- Rosetta Mandisa
- Nov 14, 2020
- 2 min read
I don’t know about you but 2020 has been a true eye opener for me. As with everyone else, I have seen a lot, heard a lot and made every effort to do a lot because day to day was just so unpredictable. We’ve lost loved ones. We’ve lost heroes. For most of the year, we’ve been making changes, making adjustments and trying to survive all while living in a pandemic. We have seen increases in stress, anxiety and depression across all ages. We’ve done all we can to keep family, friends and coworkers safe.
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My husband and I were deemed essential workers. We both work in education. Our days are spent taking every universal precaution we can to keep ourselves and our students safe. I can not even begin to count the number of bottles of hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes and cans of Lysol we have gone through. I have said it before and I will say it again, teaching in a pandemic is for the birds. Teaching has always been hard but this is on a completely different level.
Upon arrival at home each day our routine takes us first to the kitchen to wash our hands, into the laundry room to remove clothing and then straight to the shower. For months we’ve limited the time we spend outside the house. If it’s not work or something essential like going to the grocery store, we are at home. What we have not done much of is spend time gathering with family or friends for birthdays, holidays or a simple stop by to say hello. As with most everyone in the country, we try to be as careful as possible.
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As the end of the year nears, what I do not want is to feel like I’ve been sitting around waiting for the end to come. I want to finish strong! My sister, a few months ago, came across virtual 5K races. She and I will meet outdoors. We walk and talk for 3.1 miles. We found a way, that works for us, in which we are able to stay safe but also spend sometime together. Walking has helped my mental health and my waistline! My personal to do list has begun to shrink. I am getting things done. I’m reading more, meditating more and learning how to navigate my new normal.
We have a little more than six weeks to go before 2021 rings in. I would urge and encourage anyone I love to take a moment to feel their feet on the ground. I would say that what you are feeling is real and should not be ashamed to feel that way. I would offer to them to be honest with themselves about where they are and how they are feeling. I would suggest that if how they are feeling seems overwhelming and they can’t seem to get going in the direction they’d like to go, to not be afraid to ask for help. One of the best things happening in this pandemic is the availability of mental health professional that are able to assist clients via Zoom or video chat.
Take care of you! 🙂
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